Absorption refrigeration home



June 26, 1962 B. A. PHILLIPS ABSORPTION REFRIGERATION HOME APPLIANCEFiled June 13, 1960 United States Patent ()7 3,040,547 ABSQRPTIONREFRIGERATION HOME APPLIANCE Benjamin A. Phillips, Benton Harbor, Mich,assignor to Whirlpool Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed June13, 1960, Ser. No. 35,720

5 Claims. (Cl. 62485) This invention relates to refrigerators and inparticular to means for circulating air in an absorption refrigerator.

In an absorption refrigerator, the energy input to the refrigerationsystem is in the form of heat delivered to the refrigerant in a boilerin heat exchange relationship with a fuel burner. conventionally, theburner comprises a fluid fuel burner to which air must be supplied tosupport combustion thereat. Such absorption refrigerators furtherinclude, as elements of the refrigeration system, elements such as acondenser, an absorber, a rectifier, and a weak liquid precooler fromwhich it is necessary to dissipate heat during the refrigeration cycle.Thus, it is desirable to provide a flow of air in heat transferrelationship with such elements.

The present invention is concerned with anew and improved means forproviding such combustion and cooling air. A prime feature of theinvention is, therefore, the provision of a new and improved air flowmeans for use in an absorption refrigerator having a burner and systemcomponents from which heat is to be dissipated.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of such air flow meansincluding a first air passage associated with the burner for providingcombustion air thereto and terminating at a preselected space, meansdefining a second air passage associated with the system components forpassing air in heat transfer relationship therewith and terminating atthe space, and air moving means in the space for moving air concurrentlythrough each of the air passages.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such air flowmeans arranged for automatic proportioning of the total air flow in therespective air passages for proper operation of the refrigerator.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such air flowmeans further arranged for improved exhausting by the air moving meansof the air moved thereby.

Other features and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a rear elevation of an absorption refrigerator provided withair flow means embodying the invention, a portion of the refrigeratorback wall being broken away.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, broken horizontal section thereof takensubstantially along the line 22 of FIG- URE 1.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in thedrawing, an absorption refrigerator generally designated is providedwith a suitable cabinet 11. Extending rearwardly from the back wall 12of the cabinet is a frame 13 carrying at its rearward end a back panel14 defining therebetweeu a long vertical space 15. Spaced above thebottom of rear Wall 12 and extending horizontally forwardly therefrom isa bottom wall 16. A vertical divider 37 extends downwardly from bottomwall 16 and perpendicularly to rear wall 12 to divide the space belowbottom wall 16 into a first chamber 17 3,040,547 Patented June 26, 1962with the flame of burner 20, and an exhaust flue 22 for exhausting theproducts of combustion from the burner. A portion of burner 2.0, boiler21, and flue 22 are carried Within an insulated housing 23 which extendsthrough an opening 24 in rear wall 12 whereby air is delivered to burner20 from chamber 17 and the products of combustion are delivered fromflue 22 to space 15.

The elements of the refrigeration system from which it is desired todissipate heat during the operation of the refrigerator are disposed inspace 15, as best seen in FIG- URE 1. More specifically, a finnedcondenser 25 is mounted at the top of space 15 for delivery through aconduit 26 to the refrigerator evaporator (not shown) forwardly of rear,wall 12. Rectifier 26a is in the line from the boiler 21 to condenser25. A gas heat exchanger 27 receives the refrigerant from the evaporatorand delivers it to the absorber pot 28 and associated finned absorber29. A finned heat exchanger 30 is connected between absorber pct 28 andboiler 21 for precooling the weak liquid delivered from the boiler tothe absorber pot. Thus, within space 15 are mounted four refrigerationsystem elements from which heat is to be dissipated, namely thecondenser 25, rectifier 26a, the absorber 29, and the precooler 30.

A flow of air to burner 20 for supporting combustion therein, anexhausting of the products of combustion from burner 20 and through flue22, and a movement of air in heat transfer relationship withrefrigeration system elements 25, 26a, 29 and 30 are concurrentlyprovided in refrigerator 10 by an air moving means herein comprising aconventional propeller fan 31 driven by an electric motor 32. Fan 31 isdisposed in an opening 33 in rear wall 12 below bottom wall 16 and isarranged to deliver air from the lower portion of space 15 throughchamber 18 and outwardly from chamber 18 through an opening 34 in thefront wall 19 of the refrigerator cabinet 11. Opening 34 extendshorizontally substantially fully across the lower end of wall 19 therebyfurther defining an inlet to chamber 17 for delivery of combustionsupporting air to the burner 20. The cooling air is admitted to chamber15 through a suitable opening or grill 35 extending horizontally acrossspace 15 at the upper end thereof.

In operation, fan 31 draws air through a portion of front opening 34,through chamber 17, to burner 20 wherein it supports combustion of thefuel, through flue 22 in the form of products of combustion, and throughthe lower portion of space 15 for delivery through chamber 18 and frontopening 34 outwardly from the cabinet 11. Concurrently, the fan drawsair downwardly through opening 35, in heat exchange relationship withcondenser 25, rectifier 26a, absorber 29, and pre-cooler 30, and to thelower portion of space 15 for delivery through chamber 18 and frontopening 3-4 outwardly from the cabinet. The amount of air drawndownwardly through space 15 for cooling elements 25, 26a, 29 and 30 isproportioned automatically by the cross sectional areas and the corfan31 comprises the cooling air moved downwardly through space 15. Theamount of air drawn through burner 20 assures full combustion of thefuel therein permitting delivery of the products of combustion to thespace in front of the refrigerator without harmful effects to anyoccupants thereof. f

Having described my invention as related to the embodiment shown in theaccompanying drawing, it is my intention that the invention be notlimited by any of the details of description, unless otherwisespecified, but

rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out inthe accompanying claims.

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed is defined as follows:

1. In an absorption refrigerator having a cabinet having a bottomportion, a burner, and system components from which heat is to bedissipated, air flow means comprising: means defining a first airpassage associated with the burner for providing combustion air thereto,said first air passage terminating at a preselected space; meansdefining a second air passage associated with said system components forpassing air in heat transfer relationship therewith, said second airpassage terminating at said space; means defining a third, common airpassage leading from said space outwardly from the bottom portion of thecabinet; and air moving means in said space for positively moving airconcurrently through each of said air passages.

2. In an absorption refrigerator having a cabinet having a bottomportion, a burner, and system components from which heat is to bedissipated, air flow means comprising: means defining a first airpassage associated with the burner for providing combustion air thereto,said first air passage terminating at a preselected space; meansdefining a second air passage associated with said system components forpassing air in heat transfer relationship therewith, said second airpassage terminating at said space; means defining a third air passageleading from said space for delivery of the air from said first andsecond passages to an exhaust outlet in the bottom portion of thecabinet; and air moving means in said space for positively moving airconcurrently through each of said air passages and outwardly throughsaid outlet.

3. In an absorption refrigeratior having a burner, and system componentsfrom which heat is to be dissipated, air fiow means comprising: meansdefining a first air passage associated with the burner for providingcombustion air thereto, said first air passage terminating at apreselected space; means defining a second air passage associated withsaid system components for passing air in heat tranfer relationshiptherewith, said second air passage terminating at said space and havinga cross section co-ordinated with the air flow impeding characteristicof the burner and the air flow impeding characteristic of the systemcomponents preselected to pass approximately 98% of the total air passedthrough said passages; and air moving means in said space for moving airconcurrently through each of said air passages.

4. In an absorption refrigerator having a cabinet including top andbottom portions, a burner and system components from which heat is to bedissipated, air flow means comprising: means defining a first generallyhorizontally extending air passage in the bottom portion of the cabinetand having an inlet end associated with the burner for providingcombustion air thereto, said first air passage terminating at the endopposite said inlet in a preselected space; means defining a second,generally vertical air passage extending between said top and bottomportions and associated with said system components for passing air inheat transfer relationship therewith, said second air passageterminating in said space, said space being at the lower end of saidsecond air passage; and air moving means in said space for moving airconcurrently through each of said air passages.

S. The air flow means of claim 4 including means defining a third airpassage leading from said space to an exhaust outlet adjacent the inletof the first air passage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,736,871 Backstrom Nov. 26, 1929 2,040,174 Hainsworth May 12, 19362,163,815 Thomas June 27, 1939

